Canadiens' Gionta to have season-ending surgery

Canadiens' Gionta to have season-ending surgeryThe Montreal Canadians announced Wednesday that captain Brian Gionta will undergo surgery Friday to repair a torn left biceps and will not return this season.

BROSSARD, Quebec -- Montreal Canadiens captain Brian Gionta will undergo season-ending surgery Friday on a torn left biceps muscle, the team announced Wednesday.

This is the second year in a row Gionta has torn his biceps muscle; he previously had surgery Jan 11, 2012 to repair a torn right biceps muscle.

Gionta had his left arm wrenched back in Game 1 of the Canadiens' Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the Ottawa Senators last Thursday. Gionta missed Game 2, played 18:10 in Game 3 on Sunday and collected an assist, then missed the Canadiens' 3-2 overtime loss in Game 4 on Tuesday.

Gionta was tied for third on the Canadiens this season with 14 goals in 48 regular-season games, and his 26 points were ninth-best on the club.

The Canadiens also had some good injury news Wednesday: Center Lars Eller skated briefly in the morning with a trainer. Eller sustained a concussion and facial fractures when he was hit by Senators defenseman Eric Gryba in Game 1. Gryba was suspended two games by the NHL for the hit.

He's only 17 but he can see the ice so well and he moves the puck and goes to the open ice all the time, so I just think he's a player that is ready to play in the NHL. I'm really looking forward to coaching someone like this.

— U.S. National Junior Team coach Ron Wilson on Auston Matthews, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft